Question : SHARE OF RAJASTHAN FROM RAVI, VYAS AND YAMUNA RIVERS

(a) the schemes being implemented by the Government to make available the State’s share of water from inter-state water schemes and the latest progress of these schemes keeping in view the limited availability of internal sources of water in Rajasthan;

(b) the share of Rajasthan in Ravi-Vyas and Yamuna rivers and the steps being taken by the Government for firmly implementation of the decisions taken in the past in this regard;

(c) whether any request has been made by the Government of Rajasthan to the Central Government in this regard and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the action taken thereon?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI JAI PRAKASH NARAYAN YADAV)

(a) Indira Gandhi Feeder-cum-Canal and Bhakra Main Line System are in use for delivering supplies corresponding to Rajasthan’s share of surplus Ravi Beas waters as decided in the monthly Technical Committee meetings of the Bhakra Beas Management Board. Rajasthan has framed two proposals viz. “Utilisation in Bharatpur district” and “Utilisation in Jhunjhunu-Churu district” for utilization of its share of Yamuna waters. These schemes have been cleared by the Technical Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources on 07.02.2003 subject to concurrence of Haryana of the cost of works to be carried out in their territory and taking up construction in Haryana and Rajashtan simultaneously. The concurrence of Haryana is awaited.

(b) The share of Rajasthan in surplus Ravi Beas waters is 8.6 Million Acre Feet (MAF) i.e. 10.61 Billion Cubic Metres as per an agreement dated 31.12.1981 among the Chief Ministers of Punjab , Haryana and Rajasthan, and share of Yamuna waters is 1.119 Billion Cubic Metres as per a Memorandum of Understanding dated 12.05.1994 among the States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. The Bhakra Beas Management Board decides the periodical allocations of Ravi Beas waters while regulation of the supplies of Yamuna waters is vested with the Upper Yamuna River Board.

(c) The 1981 agreement on surplus Ravi Beas waters provides that until such time as Rajasthan is in a position to utilize its full share, Punjab shall be free to utilize the waters surplus to Rajasthan’s requirements. Since Rajasthan has been receiving supplies corresponding to 8 MAF against its full share of 8.6 MAF, the State has been requesting for the restoration of its remaining share for quite some time.

Since the concurrence of Haryana to the two schemes of Rajasthan for utilization of Yamuna waters was not forthcoming, Rajasthan submitted the matter for consideration in a meeting of the Upper Yamuna River Board held on 06.08.2004 where Haryana indicated their disagreement till storages are constructed in the upper catchment. Subsequently, Haryana has requested for a meeting of the Upper Yamuna Review Committee, chaired by the Union Minister of Water Resources with the Chief Ministers of all the party States as members, in which the matter could be discussed as an agenda item.

(d) The matter of restoration of remaining share of Ravi Beas Waters was discussed during an inter-state meeting held on 25.07.2002 in which Punjab expressed inability to accede to the restoration. In view of the enactment of Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004 on 12.07.2004 by the State of Punjab terminating the 1981 agreement and all other agreements related to Ravi Beas waters, a Presidential Reference in the matter of the said Act has been made to the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the views of which when available, may facilitate the resolution of the isues involved.